The present invention relates in general to batting practice apparatus and, more particularly, to a batting practice apparatus that is portable when dismantled from an upright, generally rigid support.
The patent to Ratajac et al., U.S. Pat. No. 5,040,791, granted on Aug. 20, 1991, for Batting Cage, discloses a batting cage having an upper triangular frame and a lower triangular frame. The triangular frames are disposed in parallel relation. Interconnecting the upper and lower frames along the base of the respective triangular frames is an upright triangular frame. A shock cord extends generally vertical between the outermost ends of the upper and lower frames. Intermediate the ends of the shock cord is a ball. The shock cord extends through the vertical axis of the ball. The ball is fixedly secured to the shock cord. The height of the ball is varied by moving the location of the upper end of the shock cord along the upper triangular frame. A tether is attached at the opposite ends thereof to opposite sides, respectively, of the upright frame.
In the patent to Judd, U.S. Pat. No. 4,867,448, granted on Sep. 19, 1989, for Baseball Batting Practice Device, there is disclosed a device which allows a ball to be hit by a bat. The ball is suspended from a solid overhead object by an elastic member. The elastic member is attached at the bottom to a relatively solid positioner, which retains the ball for hitting on the same vertical axis after being struck by a bat.
In the patent to Hynes, U.S. Pat. No. 4,322,075, granted on Mar. 30, 1982, for Batting Practice Device, there is disclosed a batting practice device in which the height of the ball is adjusted by either adjusting the height of a horizontal support along a vertical support or by adjusting the height of the vertical support.
The patent to Craig, U.S. Pat. No. 5,056,784, granted on Oct. 15, 1991, for Athletic Swing Training Device, discloses a batting practice device which is attachable to a vertical object. Extending between the free ends of vertically spaced, horizontal supports is a shock cord. Intermediate the ends of the shock cord is a ball. The ball is movable along the shock cord to adjust the height of the ball.
In the patent to Yamanouchi et al. U.S. Pat. No. 4,735,413, granted on Apr. 5, 1988, there is disclosed a Tennis Practice Apparatus in which a ball is movable along a generally vertical first elastic string. The first elastic string is attached to its lower end to a guide rope. A second elastic string is stretched in parallel relation to the first elastic string. The second elastic string passes through the ball in a generally vertical direction and is secured to the ball. The second elastic string supports the ball and facilitates control over the height of the ball.